Screwed
by Dreams-of-Oompa-Loompas
Summary: How could something so wrong, feel so right? Lit. Chapter 4 UP! FINALLY!
1. Not All Black and White

**A/N: Ok I'm here, back, I know, another knew story. This is a new WITWI, a, as I have decided to call my stories from now on, Oompa. I know, it's not too original, but if someone says, 'Hey, read the new Oompa yet?' and someone says, 'What's an Oompa?' You know they're weird. Only idiots (No offense) don't know what Oompas are. But you know! It's a good way to separate the smart FF readers from the non-FF reading freaks. Again, no offense. Ok, so this came to mind as I was watching a recorded tape, with the premiere of episode 6.18. What I, personally wished what happened.**

**_Dedicated to DRAGONFantasy2121. My inspiration!_**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. I don't own Milo or Alexis. WAH!

* * *

**

**Screwed**

**Chapter 1:** Not All Black and White

_"I'm glad you're here..." Jess said, leaning towards her._

Rory found she couldn't breathe. "Me too..." she said softly, closing her eyes as their lips touched.  
  
He put his hand on her arm, stroking it slightly. He gently kissed her, seeming a bit hesitant. It had been a long time since they had done this, after all.

Electricity ran up her arm, sending tingles throughout her whole body. She let out a little moan, and wished she could take it back. She shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be kissing an ex when she's still with Logan, despite how he's done it before.

How could something so wrong feel so right?

His other hand moved to her hair, and she subconciously moved her hand to his back, playing with the hem of his blazer.

He moved his arm and placed it on her side. Her shirt lifted a little, and his finger touched her skin.

She snapped out of her seemingly trance, and pulled away quickly, jumping off the stool she sat on. "I-I...I have to go..." she managed to say, running out of the building and leaving a very confused Jess.

Her shaking hands dug into her purse, and reached for her car keys. She pulled them out and stuck them in the lock, before she dropped her head against the glass window, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Why did she feel this way? She wasn't supposed to feel this way, feel anything for him!

She didn't know how long she was crying, but a while later, she heard footsteps on the asphalt.

"Rory..." the voice said, with an angry and hurt expression all at once. She turned, conspicuously wiping the tears.

"Jess...I'm so sorry..." she said, unable to look him in the eye. She stared down at the grains of rock, digging her heel into the pavement. It snapped.

"What happened back there..." Jess said, a statement and question thrown together.

Things weren't so black and white. There was no clear line between right and wrong.

"You're still with him, aren't you," Jess asked, setting his jaw as the anger showed a bit in his voice.

She nodded.

They were silent before Rory figured what she needed to say.

"I think I may have loved him," she remarked.

The words stung Jess; not only because of their meaning, but because of their association with a long ago phone conversation._ " I think I may have loved you."  
_  
"Love huh?" He said, his tone softening, his face falling.

In a rush, Rory leaped forward, crushing her lips against his. His body was stiff, and he then kissed her back, putting his hands on her cheeks, stroking it with his thumb. It was passionate and hesitant and confused and gentle, all bundled up into one great kiss. He pressed her up against the car door, the keys digging into her back, burning into her skin. But she didn't care, his body against hers sent sparks through her whole body. Tingles ran up her spine. She let out a groan as his lips slid across hers.

Was she allowed to feel this way?

They pulled away simultaneously, breathless, but still in each other's arms.

"Do you?" he asked, confused.

"Do I what?" she asked, dazed.

"Love him..." Jess continued, surprised at how she was reacting.

"Who?" she sighed, her blue eyes boring into his.

He leaned closer again, slower this time, and met her swollen lips in a soft and tender kiss.

Whatever side she was on, she liked this one best.

* * *

A/N: Ok, chapter one is done! Please, tell me what you think...Review! I love those reviews! I can accept some critism for this. So please, click that little blue button below and tell me what you thought of the story. I'll be updating as soon as I can, so please forgive me if I take a while.


	2. Falling for Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. How many times have I told you this?

_A/N: Wow, the long awaited chapter two is finally up! How long has it been? Well, oh well. So, finally, it's up, and lemme thank all my reviewers! This chapter's a little short too, but it's longer than the first, and they will continue to get longer. This chapter's pushing M, but is still T. Please review, cause I got a ton of hits but less than 20 reviews. Down yonder peoples, the little blue button at the bottom. REVIEW!_

**SCREWED**

**Chapter 2- Falling for Two**

Their bodies were pressed together, him on top of her. Somehow, they ended up inside the car, in the backseat. The kissed fiercely, yet Jess wasn't pushing her to anything yet. Rory loved how Jess touched her. His kisses were long and passionate, but sensual as well. He wasn't like Logan, who couldn' wait to rip her clothes off.

Shifting to a more comfortable position, Jess started leaving open-mouthed kisses down her neck. His blazer had been shed off a while back, and her nails were digging into his back as she let out gasps. He moved his body up as their hips aligned, and he made her groan his name loudly.

As she started to finger his pants, pulling him close by his belt loops, she gasped and sat up quickly, both of them bashing their heads on the ceiling of the car.

"I'm sorry-" Rory started

"No-it's-" Jess started as well.

Neither of them knew what to say and found themselves awkwardly sitting on opposite sides of the car.

"I should go..." Jess said uncomfortably, getting out the car. Rory sat for a moment, watching him walk away through the blackened window.

"Wait!" She called quickly as she jumped out of the car, running to him.

He turned around and she suddenly felt very nervous.

"I-I...I just need to figure things out..." Rory confessed quietly.

Jess nodded silently, "Ok..." he replied. Standing in another silence, Rory turned to leave, when she whipped around and kissed him a lasttime.

She pulled away, his face in herpalms as he rubbed her armsup and down."I'll figure this out..." Shesoftlysaid, closing her eyes as they leaned there foreheadstogether. Jess smirked slightly and softly kissed her. Rory gave a small smile and slowly unwrapped herself from him. "Bye..." she whispered with a slightgrin. He smiled crookedly and he went to go back insideas shestarted driving away.

Glancing out the side window, she watched him intensely ashe walked back to the building._God, he does that so good, _she thought.

* * *

As Rory was reaching the apartment, her mind wouldn't stop whirling at what had happened, and what had almost happened. She kept trying to make a mental pro/con list for both Jess and Logan, but had to focus on driving before she wrapped her car around a tree. 

Pulling up to the apartment she shared with Logan, she walked in and unlocked the door.

_Con for Jess: He bailed on me twice_

_Pro for Jess: He's grown up now_

She looked around the empty apartment and leaned against the wall, sinking onto the floor. _Con for Logan: He cheated on me with a whole bridal party._

_Pro for Logan, he did say he was sorry_

It doesn't change it though, she thought. She would never know if Logan could be faithful, and she didn't know if she could trust him again.

She turned quickly and left the apartment, driving to her mom's home. All she needed was some familiarity right now.

Walking up to the door, she pulled out her old set of keys and unlocked the door.

"Mom?" Rory called, her voice ringing through the house. Footsteps came from the kitchen as the elder Gilmore appeared.

"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "What are you doing here? It's late!" She asked.

"You're the one up!" Rory replied.

"What's wrong?" Lorelai asked, seeing a strange look on Rory's face.

"Nothing...nothing..." Rory shook her head. Lorelai raised an eyebrow at her daughter, and she sighed.

* * *

"Wow..." Lorelai said. "So, you kissed Jess?" Lorelai shifted uncomfortably on the bed. The Gilmores sat cross-legged doing girl talk in Lorelai's bedroom. Lorelai found the whole thing weird. After all, the boy who had broken her daughter's heart twice, was stealing her heart once again. 

"Yes." Rory replied.

"Just kissing?" Lorelai checked with a raised eyebrow.

The younger girl hesitated. "...May have turned into more..." she finally said.

"May have?" Lorelai asked.

"Would have probably..." Rory responded. Lorelai sighed deeply and leaned against the pillows.

"What about Logan?" She asked, noticing the tension her daughter aquired at his name.

Rory buried her face in her hands. "I don't know anymore." She said, muffled sobs coming from her. Lorelai patted the girl's shoulder as Rory gathered herself. She wiped her eyes and stood up. "Could I stay here?" She asked.

"Sure sweets." Lorelai replied, her own brain battling the two boys. Both were stupid heartbreakers.

"I'm going to sleep then," Rory quietly said.

"Sure..." Lorelai said, getting up and putting her arm around Rory as they walked down the stairs. Getting to her old room, Rory was about to go in when Lorelai stopped her.

"Honey...just remember..."

Rory looked up with a curious face.

"You always seem to fall in love with two people..." she chuckled darkly, and Rory cracked a bitter laugh. Dean and Jess, were who her mother was referring to.

"But remember...you always seem to fall for Jess too..." Lorelai wisely said, kissing her frozen daughter goodnight and going up the stairs. Rory stood stiffly at this note, and she recognized this pattern too.

Couldn't life ever be simple?

Walking into her old room, she collapsed onto the bed with an exasperated sigh.

Did she love Logan? Or was she _in_ love with him.

_One can fall out of love as easily as one falls in, but one can never stop loving.

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A/N: Ok, yes, this one was short too, but, alas, one can't put much of the plot in yet. Just a note for those of you who are frequent FF readers, remember what **gilmoregirl1979 **always says about Chp. 7 in a story. Heh. Funny.

Ok, another thing. I've got three story ideas in my head, but I can't figure out which to do first! So, yes, I will tell you something about them

**Impulse: **Set in 2.19, Teach Me Tonight. LL! Yes, complicated to imagine, but I was thinking a whole, Step-by-Step thing. If you get my drift. (wink wink Nudge nudge)

**I Just Listen To the Voices Inside My Head: **A very long title, yes, but I can shorten it. It's about LL again, and is set in season 2. Starts in 2.3, Red Light on the Wedding Night, and is a story that involves Lorelai hearing voices telling her what to do. All the emotions that are in you actually talk to Lorelai. What if Lorelai had realized more than just that she doesn't love Max. What if she kissed Luke before her and Rory went off on their roadtrip?

**Fate Always Has Her Ways: **A supernatural story. Rory wakes up to find herself on an airplane. Flying to California! Turns out, she and Jess have switched bodies. Literati.

So, tell me which story I should do first, I probably will do them all, but which one first. Ok, and lemme tell you, no stealing my ideas, cause I have witnesses as to me writing this, and I will do them all. Ok. Ok. And also, Review! I will have better summaries by the time I put up the stories.


	3. Wake Up Call

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Well, I personally don't think I took too long to update, but apparently (and I say this modestly) people love this story. As I stand (sit) listening to Lifehouse, I am glad to say I finished this chapter in one day. Well, I love all the reviews I've been getting, and this chapter may be one of my best (again, I say this modestly). I worship these reviews you guys send me. I'm not sure if everyone is in character. There is no Logan in here either an applause worthy of the romans here, thank god.

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**Screwed: Chapter 3**

**Wake-Up Call**

Around 4 AM, Rory woke up for the 2nd time that night. She got up and took a second glass of water, downing it quickly.

Leaning against the wall outside her bedroom, she was soaked in sweat. The long white shirt she wore resembled a nightgown as it clung to her wet body. Everytime she fell asleep, her mind raced with dreams about Jess, and the almost.

It was a hot summer night, one of the first, though it wasn't the weather that accounted for her wet pajamas.

She looked out and grabbing a book, she took a long walk around the town. At this time, it was empty, and she nearly fell into the bushes when a screaming (naked) Kirk ran past her. Strangely though, she was thankful because it took her mind off of the dark-haired, ex-James Dean.

She opened the old book, and reading scribbled writing in the margins, freakishly wished that naked Kirk would run by again.

_Though brilliantly sunny, Saturday morning was overcoat weather again..._

* * *

A splash of water in her face woke her with a rough start. Rory let out a cry as she rolled into the water, which was cold from the night. She blinked and heard a honk, followed by another splash. 

"Ahh!" She cried out as a hard object jabbed at her eye. Her right eye opened reluctantly as she cradled her left, and a huge swan right in front of her cause her to scramble out of the water. She jumped up and the swan flapped it's wings. It honked and screeched.

Rory jumped further away and ran from the bridge, leaving her book sitting on the bridge. As Rory walked home, she looked up at the sky, and realized it was still decently early. Opening the back door, she was wrapped in a pair of arms.

"Where were you? I woke up and you're not here!" Lorelai said, squeezing her daughter tightly. A glance at the clock told Rory it was nearly 7AM.

Lorelai pulled away at Rory's wet clothes, and gasped at Rory's black eye. "Omigod!"

"What!" Rory said, not realizing her eye was bruised as well as painfully red.

"You have a black eye," Lorelai gingerly touched it. "What did you do?" Lorelai asked.

"A swan poked me with it's beak." Rory mumbled. Lorelai was silent for a moment, and the response she got took her by surprise.

Lorelai burst out laughing.

"What?" Rory exclaimed.

Sobering up, Lorelai shook her head, the hysterical outburst dying down.

"Honey." Lorelai stifled some laughes. "Remember when a few years ago, Jess went to your grandmother's with a black eye?"

Rory nodded in confusion.

"He got beaked by a swan," Lorelai hiccuped at holding back her laughter, and started to laugh at Rory's expression.

"How did you-"

"Luke told me," Lorelai laughed at Rory's eye again.

"We should put something on that," the first Lorelai chuckled slightly.

* * *

Lorelai sat at the table across from Rory, who held ice to the left side of her face. 

"Now, where were you?" Lorelai asked.

"I couldn't sleep," Rory confessed. "I went out to the bridge to read." Rory said, "My wake up call was falling into the lake."

Lorelai gave Rory a sympathetic smile. She lowered the ice to check her daughter's eye. "You've had a rough week, huh sweets?" Lorelai said.

Rory didn't say anything, and looked away. Lorelai opened her mouth to speak when the phone rang.

"Hello?" Lorelai answered.

"Lorelai? Is Rory there?"

"Sookie? Um...yeah..." Lorelai's face twisted into confusion.

There was a sharp intake of air on the other line. Lorelai stood up and went into the living room, passing her spaced out daughter.

"Sook? What's wrong?"

"Jess just checked in." Sookie's concerned voice warily said.

Lorelai didn't say anything for a moment. "Oh," she finally managed.

"Oh! That's it?" Sookie's voice was full of relief.

"Sookie, yesterday, Rory went to Philidelphia."

"What?" Sookie didn't connect the dots.

"Jess lives there. She kissed him Sookie!"

"Oh, wow."

"Now she's completely torn and confused," Lorelai shook her head in frustration.

"Well, he just went out a little while ago, so I wanted to check if Rory was at Yale. Maybe you could send her back_re-_ally quickly."

There was a beep, signalling another call.

"I gotta go, thanks Sook."

"No problem, you're welcome hon," Sookie hung up. Lorelai picked up the other line.

"Hello?"

"Lorelai, Jess just came into the diner," a worried Lane said.

"Lane-"

"I just wanted to tell you to warn Rory-"

"Lane," Lorelai tried again.

"-the whole town is going crazy with rumors. They aren't back together, are they?"

"Lane!" Lorelai loudly said, humor in her tone.

"Oh my god, Miss Patty just walked in," Lane said, and hung up.

Lorelai turned around at footsteps.

"Mom, I'm going for another walk."

"Rory." The elder Gilmore hesitated. "Jess is here."

Rory didn't look fazed, but replied with an, "Oh."

"He's at the Dragonfly, er, Luke's by now."

Rory didn't say anything, but gave her mom a helpless look.

"You should talk to him,"Lorelai said.

The young girl nodded.

* * *

Somehow, the town linked together Jess's return and Rory's black eye. The unsuccessful Rory tried to slink away from the house, only to find herself cornered by a Babette rushing to the diner.

Avoiding her usual hideaway at the bridge, Rory sat by the lake near the old Independence Inn. She felt very nostalgic all day, and sat by the tree where she and Jess had shared their first kiss.

Jess had managed to get away from the diner right after Miss Patty arrived, and hadn't heard the black eye rumors. He approached the lake and saw Rory's back, her hair clumsily tied up.

"Boo," he said, coming up behind her.

"Ah!" Rory jumped up, and nearly fell into the water again, which would have made her change into dry clthes pointless. Jess saw her black eye and pointed glare, and was silent for a moment.

"Swan?" He asked, amused.

Rory used all her force to smack his arm. "Jesus Christ!" He yelped, trying not to show the pain.

"Why did you tell me it was a football?" She glared at him. He sat down next to her, his face getting serious.

"Would you have laughed?" Jess asked.

Rory didn't say anything for a moment. "Yes," she finally confessed.

"Would you laugh now?" He asked.

A small smile came to her lips. "Can't. I got beaked too."

Jess stopped rubbing his arm and couldn't help but smile. Rory turned red. He was giving her a look she'd never seen before.

After the quiet moment, Jess spole.

"How'd you get it?" He asked.

Rory blushed again. "I fell asleep reading at the bridge." She admitted.

Jess smirked and handed a book to her from his back pocket.

"I know," he quietly said, his smirk forming into a smile. Rory fingered the end and realized he had finished the notes in the margins.

Rory felt like breaking the silence and asking why Jess was here, but she already knew the answer. They locked eyes and Jess put his hand to her left cheeks, passing it gently over the bruise. They unconciously leaned toward each other, and Rory shivereed as she felt his breath on her lips. They were centimeters apart when Rory jumped away.

"I can't," she frowned. "I've been trying to call Logan all day, but no one's picking up."

Jess nodded, and no one spoke.

"So, you're staying at the Dragonfly?" Rory tried to make small talk.

Jess turned to her. "Yeah," he smiled slightly.

"What do you think of it?" Rory asked.

He smirked. "Too vintage for my taste." They both smiled.

* * *

Rory dried her hair, thankful for Paris at this moment. She sat back and picked up her cell phone, dialing a familiar number.

"Hello?" The other voice on the line greeted.

"Hey," Rory responded.

"Hey you, took off?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, I'm staying with Paris and Doyle," Rory explained.

"So, did you talk to Jess?" Lorelai deadpanned.

Rory was silent for a second. "Yes."

"Did you guys talk about-" Lorelai stopped.

"We...just talked."

"Hon, you should-"

"I know."

There was silence, and Lorelai felt uneasy at her daughter's confusion. "Right..." she slowly said.

"Mom?"

"Yeah sweets?"

"I think I love him."

* * *

A/N: This is the part where I (again) ask for those wonderful reviews you people write me. Yes, it totally rocks to get them, and it inspires me to write quicker, even if it's just a '_this rocks!_' Bad news folks, Logan is in the next chapter, yes. Hey, what did you guys think of the black eye thing? Don't know where it came from, but thank Anna Nalick, because listening to Catalyst and AC/DC's Highway to Hell plus some Goo Goo Dolls and Lifehouse brought you this story, er, chapter. Actually, Step by Step brought you the story. Anyways, shakes head review please.

In the words of the famous Hallon:

huggles


	4. The Swan, the Stalker, and the Sidekick

A/N: Wow, thanks for the reviews. There were a lot. But...I think we could do better. YEAH! Review! Here is the (finally!) long awaited chapter four of Screwed! I know, I know, I took forever. Well, sorry. I had other things people! Heh heh. Well, I will TRY to update this more often, but this is a _really_ long chapter, so I think it should make up for my absence and the shortness of previous chapters. Sorry if I made it TOO long, but I think I cut it off in a good place.Tee hee.You'll just have to wait and see what happens. Well, not wait. More...read...yeah, yeah. So, anyways, on another note, Jess is here because he's promoting his book. Because Matthew, his friend, decided it would be funny to do that. Just clearing that up. ACTUALLY, we all know why he's here. But that's his excuse. And Rory and Jess are on friendly terms now, but she is still thinking about him in other ways. Ok, read now.

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**Chapter Four- The Swan, the Stalker, and the Sidekick**

The clacking of keys stopped as the blonde stepped into the room.

"What?" Rory glanced up from her laptop, looking up at Paris.

"Nothing." She said quickly.

Rory started to type on the computer again. She could feel Paris's eyes on her once again.

"What?!" She asked a second time, glaring.

"Nothing!" Paris snapped. "I just don't get how you can get beaked by a swan," she mumbled, leaving the apartment with a slam of the door.

The young Gilmore closed the computer with a click. She leaned back, and glanced at her phone. Maybe she should call him. She bit her lip.

As if on cue, the phone vibrated against the table. She jumped, but saw that _Lane_ was flashing across the screen.

"Hello?"

"Hey!"

"Hey bride to be!" Rory answered in a forced happy tone. "Excited?"

"Very," Lane replied cheerily. Then her voice changed. "Well..."

Rory blinked, waiting for her friend's news. "Mama Kim says you need to bring a date."

Eyes widening, Rory let out a cough, then she bit her lip, sucking in air.

"Rory?"

"Still here," she dryly said. She let out a deep sigh. "I'll figure something out." She slowly replied.

The two girls were silent.

"How is-"

"Jess?" Lane finished for her. She knew of her friends troubles with her love life.

The Gilmore paused. "Yeah."

"He's good."

"He is?" Rory asked.

"Yeah. He's leaving next week, but, uh...he's good." She replied.

Hesitating, she said, "Good."

Lane let out a laugh. "He's actually town celebrity now."

Raising her eyebrows, Rory blinked in confusion. "What?!"

"Taylor found out that he wrote a book, and now he's telling everyone about how Stars Hollow turned a hoodlum into a famous writer," the bride to be snickered.

"No!" She giggled at the thought.

"He even put his picture up in the bookstore, and everyone's been bugging him for autographs. He's been hiding out in Luke's apartment." The girls giggled together. The last thing the former James Dean wanted was to be popular in Stars Hollow. "Kirks been following him around, taking pictures."

"What?"

"Yep."

* * *

Getting out of the car, the youngest of the Gilmores started heading for the door. 

"Rory! RORY!" Babette's raspy voice called out. Rory froze, eyes widening.

"Hi Babette," she said forcibly. The last thing she wanted was to be bombarded by the town about Jess.

"Is it true Jess is the one who talked you into going back to Yale and coming home?"

Wow, didn't see that one coming. How did they find that out?

"Uhh..."

"He's working in Philly now, right?"

"Right-" Rory started.

"Look, look, he signed my book!" Babette threw the book in Rory's face, waving it around.

Was this the same Babette that was complaining about Pierpont being stolen 4 years ago?

"Great; do you know where he is?" She questioned.

Babette shrugged. "Probably at the Dragonfly. That's where he's staying."

Rory nodded. She knew that, but at least it quieted Babette down. "I'm gonna go, bye," she politely said, walking away.

* * *

She found him reading on a bench outside the Inn. Coming from the back, she plopped next to him. "Hey, could I have your autograph! I love your work!" She squealed mockingly. He glanced up and rolled his eyes. 

"I've had enough. Kirk has been following me around!" Jess said, pointing to the bushes. Rory turned, but didn't see anything.

"I think the fumes from the diner have gone to your head." She smiled smugly.

"Lane told you about me helping out, huh?" He asked.

Rory smiled innocently. "When bad boys go good. The Jess Mariano story,"

He scoffed. "Like that'd ever happen."

"The town loves you now! You're a celebrity. Stars Hollow hero." She pinched his cheek playfully. He pulled away, an all to familiar scowl on his face. "Jeez. That's enough."

"How'd they find out about your book, anyways?" Rory asked.

"My hilarious partner Matthew decided it would be funny for me to go back to the town I hate so much." He sarcastically said.

"Now there's the Jess we all know. The feeling's not mutual anymore. They LOVE you." She flashed a brilliant smile. Jess could help but grin wildly at her. There was a rustle in the bushes and the two jumped, their moment interrupted.

"What-" Rory jumped up and away from the sound. Suddenly, Kirk in camoflauge popped his head out. She let out a cry and nearly fell back, startled. Clicking his camera with a few pictures, Kirk's face suddenly grew in fear as he saw Jess looking at him in a deadly manner.

"Kirk!" He let out. Kirk let out a squeak of fear and dived away. (The squeak much resembled the one Allison from _The Breakfast Club_ makes a lot.)

Rory turned to Jess, suddenly feeling nervous. "Hey, you know Lane's getting married?"

Jess glanced back to her, nodding. "Yeah. Weird, huh?"

She nodded shyly. "Yeah, I always thought I'd be married first," she said, then blushed a deep red. He smirked.

"Well, uh...I really need to go with an "escort"," she emphasized that part, "so, uhh, maybe we could go..."

"As friends." She quickly added.

He mulled over this for a moment, his face looking thoughtful. Then, he nodded. "Sure."

"Yeah?" She asked, her eyes hopeful, then suddenly shocked his response. Jess was _never _a go-to-a-wedding-guy.

Nodding again, he smiled faintly. "I should go." He walked away. "Bye," he called over his shoulder, taking the path back to the Inn. Rory could'nt help but smile brightly. Maybe she liked this new Jess.

* * *

The girls stood crowded around Doose's wearing tiaras and blinking necklaces. 

"Ladies, ladies, please! I need your attention, it's a very serious subject here! Now, I need to do a quick check to make sure we have got all of our supplies. Rory, read off the list! " Lorelai exclaimed.

"Beer!" Rory read off the list.

"Check!" Lane eagerly said.

"More beer."

"Check," Lorelai responded.

"Pretzels and beer." Rory called out.

"Check!"

"Various chocolaty treats, alternative alcohol for those who don't like beer, and beer."

"Check!"

"List complete, Sarge." Rory playfully said.

Lorelai grinned. "Excellent. Now, we are about to commence the first leg of our evening. Our dear friend Lane is about to get married, and it is our job to make sure we give her one night and one headache she will never forget!"

"Hear, hear!" Lane cried out, throwing a hand into the air.

"Now, our first stop is the Black, White and Read Bookstore, where we will sneak in our booze and our treats and proceed to get drunk and watch tonight's feature, American Gigolo!" Lorelai continued.

"Featuring a little full-frontal from Mr. Gere himself." Sookie added.

"All right! Let's go to the movies!"

"To the movies!" The girls cheered.

"Wait for me!" A voice called out. Kyon ran up to them. "Sorry I'm late. I had to wait for the two Mrs. Kims to go to sleep before I can climb down tree to meet you. Luckily, all that bowing makes them sleep like dogs!"

"It's okay, Kyon, we were just leaving." Rory told her.

"Oh, good. I had to get out of house. Stinks like kim chee and incense. You can't breathe. There's Buddhas everywhere, staring at you." As she spoke, she started to pull off layers of clothes. Lane and Rory stared at her in disbelief as she revealed an Avril Lavigne shirt. "What?" She asked.

Lane gaped at her. "When did you start double-dressing? And… Avril Lavigne?"

"Avril Lavigne rocks. You're such a snob. If it's not Joy Division you no like it. Well, you can't dance to Joy Division!" Kyon snapped.

"This is crazy! My whole family is crazy." Lane dramatically said.

Rory glanced at her new Sidekick. "Well, welcome to the club." The group walked along as Rory typed away.

"Mm, secret admirer?" Lorelai asked.

"It's Dad. He gave me this thing as a gift, you know. However, he also got himself one, and since then he's been text-ing me every five minutes. It's insane. You should have told him no when he ran this past you."

"I think it's nice you have a real Daddy-daughter thing going on here." Lorelai grinned wickedly.

"Oh, yeah. He's shopping for celery at the supermarket. They're running a special." She sarcastically said.

"He's just excited." Lorelai said, laughing.

"Yeah, well, now he's in the canned peas aisle. Apparently he doesn't like canned peas, but he does like pea soup. Interesting, no? No!" The younger Gilmore cried out.

Lorelai took the Sidekick from Rory's hands. "All right, give me that." She began typing. "Um, okay. 'Your daughter's about to see Richard Gere's penis, enjoy your celery!' That should shut him up for a while."

They glanced over to see a girl throwing up beside the mini-gazebo, and frowned.

"That's got to be some sort of a record." Lorelai mumbled. "Ok, so I'm taking Michel, and you?" She asked Rory.

Rory bit her lip, unsure what to say. "Well...I'm going with Jess."

"Aha! I knew it! You're seeing him!" Lorelai exclaimed, pointing her finger in Rory's face.

"Just as friends!"

Lane looked at them in confusion. "You know, this whole thing with you, Logan, and Jess is getting way out of control."

"I agree." Lorelai nodded.

* * *

The girls walked through the town square again, dejected. 

"I don't understand. I checked the time of the movie twice." Sookie repeated again.

"Well, the paper probably printed it wrong again." Lorelai said.

"We could have just gone in." Rory added.

"No, too risky. No way to know if we'd missed the money shot." Lorelai shrugged.

"And American Gigolo without the Gigo-down-low is pointless." Sookie pointed out.

"Well, what should we do now?" Lane said.

"Uh, well, we could kill some time 'till the next showing." Lorelai tried.

"Sure, that's only forty-five minutes." Sookie pushed.

"So where should we go?"

"Could get some coffee." Lorelai hopefully said.

"Par-tay." Kyon added dryly.

"Well maybe we could play a game. I do that with the kids and time flies." Sookie put in.

"I don't really think peek-a-boo's going to fly, Sookie." Lorelai grimaced at the thought.

"Well, we could make it more adult! You know. Peek-a-boo! Take a shot! It could be fun…" Sookie grinned.

They stopped as Zach and his bachelor party came around the corner.

"Hey!" Zach exclaimed.

"Hey!" They all greeted.

"I didn't expect to see you guys here!"

"Well, we were going to see American Gigolo, but we missed it." Lane told him.

"I swear, I checked the time twice!" Sookie insisted.

Rory patted Sookie encouragingly. "We believe you, Sookie."

"What are you guys doing here?" Lane asked.

"We just came from Dell's bar." Gil said.

"It closed early 'cause it's Dell's wedding anniversary." Brian added.

Lorelai gasped. "Dell's is closed? Shoot. We were going to go there after the movie."

"Well, we could go to the Chimney Sweep." Rory tried.

"No, it burned down last week." Sookie informed her.

"Ironic." Rory said. She looked at the group and spotted a familiar face. Jess smirked and mouthed 'Hi' to her.

"We could drive down over to Beacon Falls, is there anything open there?" Gil questioned.

"No."

Rory smiled at him, wondering what he was doing with the group.

"We could go to my aunt's house. She's got a rec room with a record player." Brian said.

Zach looked at him in disgust. "No way, that's completely lame. Which one's American Gigolo? Is that the one where they show Richard Gere's johnson? 'Cause that sounds weird for a bachelor party."

Lane laughed. "We are not doing this!"

"Doing what?" He asked.

"We're supposed to be getting wild at separate bachelor and bachelorette parties! We cannot be bumping into each other all night long!" Lane exclaimed.

Zach gave a firm nod. "The lady's right! Come on, men! Let's go find something wild to do!"

"Yeah!" The guys cheered.

As the groups separated, Jess and Rory hung back. Lorelai and Lane glanced back and Rory told them to go on quickly.

"Hello." She smiled at him.

"Hey." He nodded in greeting.

"What are you doing with the bachelor party?" Rory asked, glancing as they went off. Jess shrugged. "They were in the diner and asked me to come."

"And you did?" She was awed.

He shrugged again. "I had nothing better to do," he smiled faintly. Rory smiled back; she liked the more mature and social Jess.

"PARTY!" A guy called off in the distance. The groups were going further.

"We should catch up," Rory said, flashing another bright smile as he nodded. They turned and went their separate ways.

* * *

"Hey, you guys, we are looking pathetic now. All right? We are young, temporarily single girls on the prowl. There is plenty to do tonight that we can be mortified about tomorrow!" Lorelai said. 

"Well, the t-shirts and tiaras are a start." Rory shrugged.

"Exactly. All right, ladies, let's go find us some fun!" Lorelai exclaimed.

They walk off, giggling.

* * *

They stared at the house in front of them. 

"Five more seconds. Anyone?" Lorelai asked.

"No." Lane replied.

"Nope."

"Let's do it." Lorelai said.

They walked up and Lane knocked on the door

"Hi! Are you Brian's aunt?" Lane asked.

"Oh, you must be Lane." The woman greeted with a smile. "The boys are downstairs, in the rec room."

"Sounds like they have foosball!" Lorelai said, excited.

Rory smiled. "Foosball's fun!"

Filing into the house, they heard a voice calling out.

"Bachelorettes in the house!" Zach greeted.

"Hey, boys!" Lorelai said.

The boys cheered wildly.

"They have a moose head!" Kyon exclaimed.

Rory approached Jess, who had separated from the group to greet her. "Hey." He smiled.

"Hi," she said, her face turning pink. "We just keep bumping into each other," she noted, chuckling nervously.

* * *

Lorelai walked down the stairs and put on her shoes. Rory is sat on the couch with her new Sidekick. 

"Dad's feet are two different sizes." Rory informed Lorelai.

"Oh, for the love of – hey." She held up two purses. "Which one says, 'Hi, I'm not a whore, enjoy your day'?

"The pink one."

The phone rang.

"Do not talk, we're going to be late." Rory told her.

"I talk fast, it's a gift. Hello?" Lorelai answered.

"I just got tickets to Celine Dion!" Michel's piercing voice rang out.

"What?"

"My friend Tessa just called and told me she has front row seats to Celine Dion and I'm going with her!" He said enthusiastically.

"Well, that's great." Lorelai said, confused.

"I have been waiting forever to get this close to Celine, oh my God, I'm shaking like a leaf. What should I wear? What would Celine like me in?"

"I don't know, Michel. But I'm on my way to pick you up, so –" Lorelai started.

"Oh, no, don't bother. I'm not going to the wedding." Michel said.

Lorelai's mouth fell open. "What? Why not?"

"Because I'm going to Celine Dion! Hello! What have I been saying to you?"

"No, Michel, you have to go to the wedding!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Eh, sorry. I cannot."

Lorelai let out an exasperated sigh. "Well, you've already seen Celine Dion!"

"Only five times, and never in the front row! I was in the balcony with the riff-raff and the people who sneak in pot!" Michel exclaimed.

"Michel, you have to go! I need an escort!"

"Find someone there. That's why single women go to weddings." Michel told her.

"I am not single! I'm engaged!"

Michel sighed. "Lorelai, I'm sorry. In the future I owe you some kind of a favor but tonight you're on your own."

"Michel –" she started.

"I must go. I'll bring you a mouse pad. Bye-bye." She heard the click and dial tone of the phone. Lorelai slammed the phone back on its receiver.

"Ugh! Michel is going to the Celine Dion concert!"

"Bummer." Rory said.

Lorelai threw her hands up in the air. "What am I supposed to do now? Mrs. Kim made it very clear that I was not supposed to show up without a guy. This is ridiculous. Even when I have a man, I'm still the girl who doesn't have a man! This sucks! I've known Lane since she was a little kid! She's spent more time at our house than at her own, and now I'm going to miss her wedding? Fracking Celine Dion!"

"You want me to see if Dad can go with you?"

"What?" Lorelai asked in confusion.

"I've got him right here, he's turning left on Main and he found a buffalo head nickel in his glove compartment." Rory said as she typed on her Sidekick.

"No, I don't know. It's Saturday. I'm sure he's busy." The older Gilmore shook her head.

Rory shrugged. "He's just left the hardware store and now he's parked on the side of the road trying to decide how many tacos he wants. I vote three, 'cause two just never seems like enough."

"Okay, fine, so he's not busy. But the wedding is starting in forty-five minutes!" She exclaimed.

"He can be here in twenty."

"Seriously?" She asked.

Rory nodded. "Wow. Four tacos. Quite a man, my father. So, what do you think? Should I pull the trigger?"

"Tell him to bring me a taco." Lorelai sighed.

Nodding, she typed some more. "Will do. Reading T.P.T.D.I."

Lorelai's eyebrows furrowed together. "What does that mean?"

"Totally psyched to do it."

"He's making up his own acronyms?"

"Yeah, and he just learned how to make the happy face."

Lorelai snorted. "Sorry, kid. What can I say? He was really hot in high school."

There was a knock at the door. "Wow, quick," Lorelai said.

"No, that's Jess." Rory stood up to get the door.

"Oh right! Your date!" Lorelai smiled smugly.

Rory rolled her eyes and headed to the entrance. She opened the door and smiled to see Jess, standing dressed in a button up shirt. Lorelai appeared behind her.

"Wow, he cleans up nice, mind if I borrow him?" Lorelai smirked as the two smiled shyly at each other.

* * *

Walking into the Kim house, Rory immediately went off to find Lane. She walked into the room and smiled at her best friend, dressed in red robes. 

"You look amazing Lane," Rory smiled.

"It's like twenty pounds," Lane mumbled.

"You're beautiful," Rory told her.

"God, how can Zach be marrying me when they're forcing him to wear these stupid blue robes." Lane continued. Rory bit her lip and grinned, letting out a laugh.

"Because he loves you, that's why."

Lane glanced up, a small smile forming on her face. A Korean girl stuck her head inside the room and said something quickly in Korean.

"What did she say?" Rory asked.

"Two minutes."

"I should go then," Rory motioned to the exit. Lane nodded, smiling. As Rory headed to the door, Lane's voice stopped her.

"You know...Jess loves you too."

Rory turned and gave her friend a faint smile, then turned and left.

* * *

Coming down from the stairs, Rory bumped into Jess. 

"Hey, I was just about to go looking for you," Jess said. "How's Lane?"

Rory smiled at him. "She's good."

Jess gave a curt nod. "Good."

Their eyes linked, and Rory felt her face heat up.

"We should find your mom, it's gonna start soon," Jess said, with a serious look on his face. Rory nodded. "And my dad."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah, he's coming because my mom can't find her own man." Rory laughed. "That and Michel ditched her to see Celine Dion."

Jess smiled and chuckled. "Have I met him?"

She thought back, then shook her head. "No, you probably saw him a few years back though," she said, as they started walking to find her parents.

"There they are."

"Yes, all nice and proper." Lorelai greeted.

"What happened to your eye?" Christopher asked.

Rory turned red. "Oh, uh...swan," she mumbled.

Jess smirked as Lorelai tried to stifle a laugh. Chris furrowed his eyes together.

"Oh, well, uh...Who's this?" He asked.

"Ummm, Dad, this is Jess. Jess, this is my dad." Rory introduced.

The men awkwardly shook hands.

"What happened to that Logan guy?"

"U-uh, I'm still with him, J-Jess is just a friend," she muttered, casting a side glance to him. Chris nodded, but looked at Jess suspiciously.

"Hey. This is very impressive." Chris broke the awkward silence that had fallen.

"It's a Buddhist wedding." Rory told him.

"Is the Dalai Lama coming?"

"Yes, he's having the chicken." Lorelai joked.

The people began to assemble, and Rory looked into the room where the wedding was to take place.

"Oh, it must be starting. You guys should stand over there." She said.

"Yeah, we'll wait for you after." Chris told her.

"Did you not get it? He's having the chicken? The Dalai Lama's a vegetarian, so obviously he's not having the chicken. Sorry. Should I have texted it to you instead?" Lorelai tried, scoffing at their ignorance. Chris chuckled. Rory moved over to join the others as Lorelai, Chris, and Jess stood apart. Chris took a glance at Jess, who was watching Rory with a small smile on his face. Lorelai glanced between the two and shook her head.

"Kirk, get out of here! You're not invited!" Mrs. Kim yelled out.

Lane's grandmother entered followed by Mrs. Kim. The officiant took his place. Zach, wearing traditional Buddhist wedding attire, entered, followed by his groomsmen. Lane enters from upstairs, also wearing the traditional costume. Zach mouthed to her that he likes his robe. She smiled. The officiant began to speak, but Grandmother Kim began whispering to Mrs. Kim with hostility. The two left the room and were arguing as the wedding went on.

"The universal sounds of family." Lorelai murmured to Chris.

* * *

Mrs. Kim walked with her mother out to a taxicab. They exchanged a few more words, Mrs. Kim bowing nervously. Grandmother Kim got into the cab and left. Mrs. Kim bowed several more times as the cab drove away. As soon as the car was out of sight, she turned to the crowd of people watching on the steps of the house. 

"Go!" Mrs. Kim yelled.

People poured out of the house, pushing around Lorelai, Chris, and Jess.

"Whoa!" Chris shouted

"Hey!" Lorelai jumped away.

"What the hell is happening?" Jess asked.

"Are there bulls coming out of there?" Lorelai exclaimed.

"We would have heard the china breaking!"

"My God!"

Rory rushed out of the house."Why aren't you running?"

"Well, why should we be running?" Lorelai asked.

"To get to the church!"

"For what?"

"For the wedding!"" She exclaimed.

Chris looked at her like she was crazy. "I thought this was the wedding!"

"This was the grandmother's wedding! Now we do the mother's wedding."

"Then why the running?" Jess asked.

"58 seats, 62 Koreans!"

"Oh boy! Go!" Lorelai said as they took off running. Rory grabbed Jess's arm and started dragging him.

"Don't slow down!" Lorelai told Chris.

"My shoes are slippery!" Chris whined.

"Suck it up!" She said.

"Watch the shirt!" Jess said.

"Baby," Rory teased, as they went quickly past the others.

"Stop tugging me," he told her.

"Walk faster."

"Run for me, baby!" Sookie's voice called out as Jackson ran past them.

"I'm on it!" He called back.

They entered the crowded church and looked around.

"What do you see? Do you see anything open?" Lorelai breathlessly said.

"We'll take two and two! Two and two is fine." Sookie exclaimed.

"And Jess. He's here." She pointed to him as Rory and Jess ran in. "We can find five together."

"Oh, hi!" Sookie waved to them. "I don't think we can!"

"I see something. Patty! Patty!" Lorelai jumped up and down.

Miss Patty sat near the front, knitting, with empty seats next to her. She looked up and smiled at the group. "Oh, hello honey! What a pretty dress. Oh the things you can pull off with that body."

"Are these all taken?" Jackson asked.

"Oh, no, I just thought I'd save some in case. Here, come sit!" Miss Patty smiled seductively at Jess, whose eye twitched, and patted the seat next to her. They all sat down, Jess moving to the far end of the row.

"It's a madhouse in here. How did you get all these seats together?" Lorelai asked.

"Honey, I've been here all night." Patty shook her head and put away her knitting.

"You're kidding. Why?" Sookie asked.

"Fifty-eight seats and sixty-two Koreans? Puh-lease. Carrot sticks?" She smiled.

* * *

Rory adjusted Lane's veil as they sat in her dressing room. 

"God. Look at me. I look like a bride." Lane said.

"You are a bride." Rory told her.

"I feel so weird." Lane giggled.

"I want a picture." Rory said.

"Of me feeling weird?"

Rory smiled. "No! Of me standing next to you while you're feeling weird." She stood, set up the camera and took a picture of the two. The door opened and Mrs. Kim entered the room.

"Everything all right?" She asked.

Rory glanced at her. "Uh, yeah, Mrs. Kim. Everything's fine."

She narrowed her eyes. "The dress looks different."

Lane glanced at Rory. "Really? Does it? Everything looks different through the eyes of a bride."

"Rory, can you excuse us a moment?"

Nodding, Rory went to the door. "Sure. I'll be right outside." She exited.

Lane grimaced. "Mama, is something wrong? 'Cause the dress -"

"Forget the dress. Sit down, please." Mrs. Kim told her, grabbing a chair as they both sat.

"Uh, Lane, I have something very upsetting to talk to you about."

"Oh, what?" She asked.

"It concerns the wedding night." Mrs. Kim told her.

Lane shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, boy." She muttered.

"Yes. Oh, boy. Marriage is a job, Lane. There are rewards that come with this job but there are also sacrifices. There are things you are going to have to do." Mrs. Kim firmly said.

"Things?" Lane said nervously.

Mrs. Kim nodded. "Terrible things," she dramatically said.

"Mama, you don't have to -" Lane nervously said.

"You need to hear this. You need to know what to expect. It will start early."

"What will?"

"The man's expectations. It starts early. At the wedding, actually. At the wedding, you're going to have to kiss him." Mrs. Kim told her.

"Mama -"

"You will then be expected to share a bed tonight. And when you're in that bed, you are expected to -"

"Mama, please!" Lane begged.

"You have to do it with this boy, Lane. You're just going to have to do it. Hopefully, if you're lucky like me, you'll only have to do it once." She strictly said.

Lane cringed and grimaced. Mrs. Kim got up and left just as Rory entered the room.

"Did you hear that?" Lane asked, her face looking worried that she had just had "the Talk" with her mother.

"Yeah. Yikes." Rory said.

* * *

The doors opened and Mrs. Kim entered followed by Rory. Lorelai and Chris smiled proudly. Rory caught Jess's eye and flashed him a smile. Everyone stood as Lane began her walk down the aisle. 

"This is the first one of Rory's friends to get married." Lorelai whispered to Chris as they sat down.

"Yeah. You know, Rory could be next." Chris murmured back.

Lorelai stared at him with a weird look on her face. She glanced at Jess, who glanced at them, unaware of the conversation. Lorelai looked away. Would it be Jess or Logan?

"Yeah." She said, feeling nervous chills down her spine.

Lane and Zach ran out into the street with confetti pouring over them. They kissed as everyone cheered.

"That's just the way I like 'em. Short, and in a language I can't understand." Jackson exclaimed.

"I thought it was beautiful. What an elegant dress!" Sookie grinned.

"Oh, yeah, the dress did look nice, didn't it?" Lorelai smiled.

"I'm going to go call the babysitter." Jackson said.

"I'll go with you. We have this new babysitter. She's seventeen, sweet as can be, perfect student, references up the wazoo. She seems absolutely perfect in every way."

"Well, she's probably a crackhead." Lorelai teased.

"Thank you! I'm calling right now." Jackson ran off.

"I'll go with you." Sookie joined him.

"Let's go find the bar." Lorelai said.

"Right behind you." Chris said.

Rory walked up to Jess. "So, what did you think?" She asked.

"I think there's a reason I don't go to weddings," he said.

"It was good," she smiled, rolling her eyes at him.

"Yeah, not bad." He grinned. Rory glanced up at him and blushed. She looked as her parents walked toward them, glancing around.

"Well, that definitely was not the bar." Lorelai said.

"Maybe it's over there." Chris said.

"No, that's the gift table." Lorelai sighed.

"Did we try behind the church?" He asked.

"Twice! There has to be a bar!" She exclaimed.

Jackson walked up to them. "We called Darla, if that is her real name, and apparently everything's fine. Hey, where's the bar?"

"We were just wondering that ourselves." Chris let out an exasperated sigh.

"There you guys are!" Rory smiled and walked up to them. "I was very proud of the lack of heckling coming from your section."

"Yeah, yeah. We were real good. Now where's the bar?"

"Sh! Don't say that so loud." Rory hissed.

The older Gilmore gaped. "What? No. No way! No bar, are you kidding?"

"Mom."

"What? They don't have to drink it." She rolled her eyes and glanced as warming trays of food were put out. "Well, if we can't drink, might as well go get something to eat."

"That food is not for you." Rory told her.

"What?" Lorelai's mouth fell open. "Hold on! Is this the not-married thing again? Did you tell them I'm engaged? Engaged has got to be worth a spare rib!" She whined.

"What the hell are they doing?" Jackson asked. The whole group turned to look as the Korean guests rushed through the line with styrofoam take-out containers. As they reached the end of the line, they dropped an envelope in a bag Mrs. Kim held, and then hurried to their cars.

"Well, there's something you don't see everyday." Lorelai muttered.

Lane gaves Kirk a thumbs-up signal. He stuck a sign to the side of a truck that read 'Yummy Bartenders'. Knocking on the back of the truck, he called out, "We're on, boys!"

He walked over to Lane, who was just joined by Zach. "Excuse me. Where do you want it, sir?"

"Close, dude. Really, really close."

"Roger, Wilco. Drop it and stack it, boys." Kirk said into a walkie-talkie.

Lane and Zach leaned in to kiss, but Lorelai ran over and interrupted.

"Excuse me! Hold on a second, there's something wrong with your dress, here." She reached down a ripped a second layer off the skirt of Lane's dress to make it shorter. Lane giggled and twirled around.

"Yes! My wife's got legs! So let's get this party started!" Zach exclaimed.

They kissed and everyone cheered.

* * *

"Two Manhattans, extra cherries." Rory told Kirk at the bar. 

"Just a beer," Jess told him.

"Excuse me, Rory?" Kirk asked.

"Yeah, Kirk?" She responded.

"I have to ask you something. Do you think he's yummy enough?"

Rory and Jess looked at Kirk funny. "Who?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Troy." Kirk replied. The pair glanced at each other.

"The bartender?" She said.

"Yes. See, I put this company together for the sole purpose of bringing truly yummy bartenders to the lonely women of Stars Hollow. But they really have to be yummy. I'm talking mouthwatering, tasty morsels of manhood. Which, by the way, was the original name of the business but it was already taken by a firm in Woodbridge."

"Really." Rory nodded, casting a sideglance of horror at Jess.

"Yeah. Now, when I first met Troy, I thought he was the epitome of yumminess, you know? But now I see him in the moonlight, I'm not so sure." Kirk continued.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it, Kirk. I think Troy's plenty yummy." Rory awkwardly said. Jess let out a snort of laughter.

"You do?"

"Yeah, I really do. Can I go now?" She quickly said.

"Yes. Thank you. Enjoy your evening." He nodded.

Jess took their drinks from Troy as Kirk glanced at him appraisingly.

"Oh wait!" Kirk called out. The two froze and turned, just as a flash of light put green and purple spots in their eyes. Kirk put away his camera quickly, leaving Jess glaring at him.

* * *

"Yes, hi. Is Sookie or Jackson there? No. All right, well, just tell them Lorelai called. Thank you." Lorelai hung up her cellphone. 

"Well?" Jackson prodded.

"She didn't sound drunk at all." Lorelai shrugged.

"But she sounded like there was a guy there, right?" He tried.

"No."

"What about a pimp. Did you hear a pimp?"

"Yes, I heard a pimp, but he sounded like he had a heart of gold!" Lorelai teased.

"I don't understand! She's too perfect." He exclaimed.

Rory and Jess approached them. "Who's too perfect?"

"You are! Oh, extra cherries! Cheers." Lorelai grinned.

"Cheers!" Rory said back.

"Rory, your father has something he wants to tell you." Lorelai said in an over-exaggerated serious tone.

"Yes, I just want to apologize for my Sidekick stalking. I realize now that I have a problem." Chris joked.

"Which is the first step to recovery. The second step is that he's now giving the Sidekick to me!" Lorelai cheered.

"No!" Rory exclaimed.

"Heh!" Lorelai laughed.

"That's worse!"

Lorelai mimed Rory using the Sidekick. "Hi Rory! What are you doing? What are you wearing? What are you thinking? What about now? Do you miss me? Do you think I'm pretty? Where do babies come from?"

"Thanks a lot, mister." Rory rolled her eyes.

Lane and Zach walked up. "Hi!" Lane greeted.

"Hi!" Lorelai waved.

"Hello, there!" Sookie smiled.

"Kudos on the hot dogs, by the way." Jackson told them.

"Zach's idea." Lane motioned to him.

"Lane came up with the fries, though."

"You are so perfect together." Lorelai smiled brightly.

"Are you having fun?" Sookie asked.

"Yes! A little too much fun." Lane said.

"We actually thought we should make the rounds before we get too toasted to remember who you are." Zach said. He looked to Christopher. "Who are you?"

"Zach, this is my dad, Christopher. This is Zach." Rory introduced the two.

"Congratulations, man. Nice weddings!" Chris told him.

"Thank you."

"Hey, I want to take a picture of everyone with Lane and Zach!" Rory jumped up, excited.

"Oh, God, I hate the paparazzi." Lorelai teased.

"Come on and get in the picture! Say cheese!" She said as everyone but Jess crowded together to fit in the photo. "Jess!"

"What?! I'm not photogenic," he said, but Lorelai grabbed his arm and pulled him in.

"Cheese!" They all said. The camera flashed and Rory smiled, feeling satisfied. "Thank you," she said.

"Okay! We should go, we have six more tables to hit. If we forget to say it later, we're really glad you came." Lane said.

"Later!" Zach waved.

The group said goodbye to the couple as they left.

Chris held up his glass. "I'm out." He got up and Lorelai plopped on the free side of Rory's.

"Let me see the picture." She said, reaching for the camera.

"No!" Rory pulled away. "You'll delete it."

"Please," Jess begged.

"You erase every picture I take of you." Rory finished.

"No. Only the ones where I look like Rhoda." Lorelai explained.

"You never look like Rhoda." The younger Gilmore rolled her eyes.

"Occasionally I look like Rhoda." Lorelai said.

Rory sighed, exasperated. "Fine. Here." She held out the camera.

"Wow, you have a lot of pictures." Lorelai looked over Rory's shoulder as she flipped through.

"I like proof, okay?" She said.

"Hm. Whoa, whoa. Go back."

"What?" Rory asked.

"Flip back! Who's that?"

"That's me. With April." Rory awkardly said.

"Oh. When did you meet April?" Lorelai asked trying to sound nonchalant.

"Um, when I went to Philadelphia for Jess's open house." Rory slowly said. Lorelai's head shot to Jess.

"You met April too?" She asked.

He shrugged, and looked at Rory with a look that said, 'Don't drag me into this.'

"Okay, so you met April? You took a picture together, like you're pals?" Lorelai turned back to Rory.

"I swear, Mom. It was a crazy coincidence. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I just - I felt so weird about it." Rory said.

"Oh, sure. I get it."

"Look, it's not like Luke was trying to introduce her to me. I walked in, they were there."

"Right, okay. Fluke." Lorelai nodded.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! I'm going to get another drink, do you want anything?" Lorelai asked.

Rory shook her head. "Okay. I'll be right back." Lorelai quickly got up. Rory looked sadly guilty as she looked to Jess. She bit her lip and he gently squeezed her arm.

People began to cheer as Zach took the microphone and the band assembled.

"What's up, Stars Hollow! Who likes my robe!" The people roared. "Thanks. I'm liking it myself. Okay. Tonight is not only the night I married the coolest girl on the planet, it is also the world premiere of the newly reunited Hep Alien." More cheering. "It feels great to be back!" He went back to the drums and gave Lane a kiss. She counted in and they began playing 'I'm A Believer'.

Lulu chased Kirk through the crowd. "I swear! Nothing happened!"

"I know what I saw! He put fruit in your drink! Lots of fruit!" Kirk cried.

"I asked him for the fruit! I was hungry!"

Kirk got up and took the microphone. "Attention party-goers and revelers. As I have just recently fired all of the Yummy Bartenders, from now on the bar is serve yourself." He stormed off.

"Kirk!" Lulu called out.

"Too yummy! Way too yummy!" Kirk screamed, running off.

"Kirk, this is crazy! Why are you acting like this?" Lulu gave chase.

Kyon and Brian made out a table away. Christopher returned to the table and sat (purposely) between Jess and Rory.

"Boy, I tell you, if you have to get married, this is the way to do it." He said.

"Have to get married? Oh my, so cynical and jaded." Rory laughed.

"Well, we can't all be cool like Zach." Chris said.

"True true," Jess chimed in.

"I think they're really happy." She smiled as she watched them. She glanced to Jess as if Chris wasn't there.

"They seem it," he replied.

"Good. That's the way it's supposed to be. Glad I came to this thing tonight." Chris interrupted their "moment".

"Me too!" Rory agreed, smiling.

"So where's Logan?" Chris threw out there. Rory's eyes widened and she shifted in her seat.

"Oh, um, he's in Costa Rica."

"Costa Rica? Work, play?" Chris continued. Suddenly Jess looked very uncomfortable.

"Play. Always play." She muttered, looking angry.

"Really? What's he doing?" Chris said with fake interest.

"Oh, he's going to jump off something and raft down somewhere, climb up a thing, swing around on a vine. Stuff like that." She scoffed slightly with her tone.

"Listen, I want you to know that I like him. I like him, and I like you, and I like you and him. Together." He said, making a point to look at Jess.

Rory fidgeted and Jess got up. "I'm gonna take a walk." He said, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked away.

"I just want you to know that I approve." Chris went on.

Shifting again, she bit her lip. "Maybe I don't." She murmured.

Chris looked at her in surprise. He could easily see that Jess liked Rory, but never assumed she might like him back. "You don't?"

She shrugged. "It's just not working too well." She glanced away.

"Oh." Chris said, looking to where Jess had headed. "Ok."

Brian got up on the stage and took the microphone.

"Hi, I'm Brian Fuller, bass player for Hep Alien. People are throwing stuff at him. All right, I want to say a few words about Zach. I've known Zach for most of my life. I've been his roommate and friend and I just have to say I think Lane has something very, very wrong with her." People laughed.

"Time for the toast. Excuse me a minute." Rory got up, turning to see where Jess had went. He wasn't in view, and she bit her lip.

"Absolutely." Chris replied.

Rory got up and Lorelai returned with a tray of shots.

"We're doing shots!" She exclaimed.

"For twenty, apparently!"

"Pass the salt." She said, taking a cup.

"Uh, you know, I'm a respectable man, Lorelai. An upstanding citizen. I'm a father." Chris said.

She shrugged. "I know. This is how you became one."

"Well, you got me there." He nodded.

"So in closing, Lane, if you ever want to see a picture of Zach trying to shove fourteen ping-pong balls in his mouth, I have it! To Lane and Zach! May they stay together forever! Otherwise Hep Alien is screwed." Brian went on/

"To Lane and Zach!" The crowd said.

Lorelai held up her shot glass. "To Lane and Zach!"

"To Lane and Zach!" Chris joined in.

"Great toast, Bri!" Lane told him.

"Yes, excellent. Seriously, dude, I need those pictures back." Zach said quickly.

"Hi, everyone! I'm Rory Gilmore, I'm the maid of honor." Rory smiled at them.

"To Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"To Rory!" Chris repeated.

"I'm not one for speeches, and I don't have any incriminating picture of Lane to share, but I do have this letter." There was hooting from everyone. "This letter was written in 1995 by one Lane Kim. It was slipped into my hand during a spelling test in Miss Mallen's class. I was so shocked by its contents that I missed the word 'automobile'. O-T-T-O-mobile. That's right, Lane. I remember. I will now share with you the contents of this letter. She opens the envelope. 'Dear Rory. How was your lunch? Mine was bad. Did you have ham again? If you did, I am sorry, but mine was worse. I thought you should know that today at recess, I decided that I am going to marry Alex Bacchus. He has a very nice head and his ears don't stick out like Roddy Winston's do. I will love him forever, no matter what. See you at Brownies. Love, Lane.' I'm sorry, Lane, I just thought that Zach should know that in your heart he will always be second place to Alex Bacchus and his well-proportioned ears." Rory smiled at the couple.

Lane looked to Zach. "It's true."

Lorelai took another shot and looked at Chris. "Come on! You're behind."

"Oh, I'm going to sit this one out." He responded.

"Well, that's fun." She mockingly said.

"...but the bottom line is, I love you, Lane. Congratulations. To the bride and groom!" Rory exclaimed. She looked and saw Jess walking back, and she smiled faintly at him.

"To the bride and groom!"

"Bride and groom!"

Lorelai downed another shot and got up.

"Where are you going?" Christopher asked.

"I want to give a toast." Lorelai said.

"Um -"

Rory hugged Lane. "Congratulations."

She returned to her seat as Lorelai got up on the stage and staggered to the microphone, hitting the cymbal on the drums by accident. Jess walked up and sat next to Rory, casting a look at Lorelai.

"Hello, everybody. Hello." She tapped the microphone. "Some of you know me as Lorelai Gilmore and some of you know me as Cher, but either way, I wanted to say a few words about our girl. I have known Lane forever, and I am just so incredibly happy that she has gotten married. I mean, I am just so happy that this adorable twenty-two year old girl has gotten married. Because, it's amazing, you know? It's really hard to get married. Believe me. I should know." The three glanced at each other, worried. "I mean, seriously, because Lane is married, and next thing it'll be my daughter and then my granddaughter, but not me. I'm not getting married. No, it ain't for me, it's not in the cards. But. Hey, do you know what date I'm not getting married? June third. Do not save the date. Do you hear me? Do whatever you want on June third, because there's nothing at all happening on that day. If there's anything you need to book, or anything, it's totally safe to book it on June third, so." Chris got up. "Congratulations, Lane!" Lane and Zach stared at her. "And Zach! Who else here had eight shots of tequila? Anybody? Hands? No." Chris tapped Jess on the shoulder and they go up to the stage."Oh my gosh, who misses the Yummy Bartenders? I know, me too! They were so great. I was going to ask them to not work on June third on my not wedding. I just thought that would be so fun." The two guys took her arms as she continued to rant. "Hi! Chris! Hi Jess! Hi! See see, Rory will probably get married first..."she slurred. "...to this guy right here," she awkwardly jabbed Jess in the chest a few times. "We should call the Yummy Bartenders for them! I bet they'd love em!" Rory's eyes widened as she watched her father and guy-whose-relationship-she wasn't sure about take her drunk mother off the stage.

"How about some coffee," Jess told her, feeling very awkward as many eyes had turned to him. Lorelai jerked her head to him. "What? Okay." She turned back to the microphone. "Well, I guess we're going over here," they gently pulled her away from the microphone.

Lane and Zach looked to each other.

"Totally perfect wedding." Zach smiled. Lane nodded happily, and they kissed.

* * *

Rory and Chris enterd the Gilmore home, Chris carrying Lorelai, who had passed out. Jess felt like he was intruding, and waited outside. 

"Get her over to the couch." Rory told her father.

"Man, I must say, when your mom does something, she commits!" Chris said.

"Just prop her up. I'm going to make some coffee." Rory put her hand to her head.

"Uh, you know hon, if the two gallons we poured down her throat at the wedding didn't do anything, I'm not sure what two more cups will."

"Hey, no one knows how to wrangle the full powers of the coffee bean like a Gilmore. Just prop her up. She hates to get pillow face."

"Pillow face. Got it." He propped her up and pushed her hair out of her face.

Rory quickly hurried and put some coffee on the pot, then went outside to talk to Jess. She closed the door with a soft click.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he reiterated.

"Sorry about that." She said, biting her lip.

"Things aren't going to well between her and Luke?" Jess said, more of a statement than a question. Rory shook her head.

"No," she sighed.

"It's nearly gone," he said, moving his hand to her bruised right eye, than dropping it.

She smiled nervously. "They should have a sign or something. 'Evil, Attacking Swan."

He smiled. "Like that rabbit in Monty Python."

"Did that rabbit have a name?" She asked.

"I think it was The Rabbit." He grinned. They were closer now.

"Hmmm, the Swan." She tried.

"_The_ Swan." He said, and she giggled.

"Has a nice ring to it," she smiled brightly.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her toward him, kissing her deeply. Her mind was barely able to remember the conversation they were just having, let alone register Logan. She moved her arms around his neck, arching her back and sighing into his mouth. This was more than want or lust. She _loved_ him. God, she loved him.

"Aha!" A voice called out. The pair jumped away as Kirk darted off, a video camera at his side.

"Goddamnit Kirk!" Jess nearly leaped off the porch trying to lunge at him. Rory grabbed his arm and pulled him back. They stood awkwardly for a moment.

"I sorry," Jess said, running a hand through his hair.

"It's not your fault," Rory murmured, shifting from one foot to the other. "I should get back inside." She paused. "W-we can still talk, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Rory pecked his cheek and scrambled inside.

* * *

When Rory awoke the following morning, she exited her bedroom to find her mom already sitting at the table, drinking coffee. She remembered the night before. Right after her 'incident' with Jess, she'd come back inside and insisted her dad go home. The elder Gilmore had fallen asleep on the couch.

"Hey." She smiled faintly at her mother. "How do you feel?" She sat down.

Lorelai took a sip, then groaned. "Like crap." She looked over to her daughter. "What happened last night?"

"Well-er...uh, you said some, ahem, things..."

"Things?" Lorelai said foggily.

"Luke things...marriage things...June 3rd things...Me and Jess getting married things..." Rory coughed out.

Lorelai blinked and grimaced.

"Then-um...the three of us brought you home. Dad left, and um...I put you to sleep." Rory said.

"God." Lorelai sighed. She looked groggily at her. "And?" She knew there was more. Rory got up and grabbed a mug, pouring some coffee for herself, then she paced around the kitchen before responding.

"Jess and I kissed." She confessed.

"Again? God, you guys are horny."

The younger Gilmore turned a furious shade of red, but continued. "Then Kirk shot out of the bushes like the freaking paparazzi."

"Oh my god," Lorelai sputtered out her coffee, laughing. "He took pictures?" She laughed.

"He videotaped the whole thing! God, how could I be such and idiot!" Rory put her hand to her forehead.

Lorelai laughed so hard, she fell off her chair. "He videotaped it!" She snorted, than clapped her hand over her mouth to stop the flow of giggles.

"I love him mom!" Rory screamed, trying to be serious.

"Who, Kirk?"

Rory glared. "I can't believe this! I'm in love with Jess, but I'm still with Logan?! And I haven't even heard from him-"

There was a knock on the door and Lorelai stopped laughing. "Speak of the devil," she murmured.

"It can't be him," Rory muttered in disbelief. The elder shrugged.

"He's still in Costa Rica!" She tried, than marched to the door.

"Hey Ace," a voice greeted.

"Logan-" Rory spluttered.

* * *

A/N: Longest chapter I've ever written. Lol. Most dialouge was borrowed from "I Get A Sidekick Outta You". I hope you liked it, and I know most of you are mad I brought Logan back. Eh, whatever. You shall see, bwa ha ha.

ALSO! I know, heh heh. I would like a different BETA than Hallon so as to not overload her. She is already looking over my other story, Spin. Plus she keeps mentioning how busy she is, then says she has time to check my stuff. Despite the martyr she is, let's not cause an early death by panic attack (and or stress anxieties). So, anyways, if you have experience (in editing and writing, because while I rock at that, I CANNOT edit my own things. I just can't), and you tell me why you would like to be a Beta for this story. I also demand you have stories, so I can read them and see. Tee hee. Ok, so review!


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